Rollingwithfire
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The Emergency Fund Number Your Family Actually Needs in 2026
The standard advice says three to six months. Here is what that actually looks like for a mechanically capable family that plans for their own version of things. Everyone knows the rule: three to six months of expenses in an accessible account. That advice is written for the average family, and most families need it.
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The 50/30/20 Rule Does Not Work for Families: What to Use Instead
The popular budget framework assumes a certain life. Families are living a different one. The FIRE community has no shortage of frameworks. The 50/30/20 rule. The 4% rule. The bucket strategy. Someone’s cousin did it this way. Someone’s podcast recommends that one. Here’s the thing nobody talks about enough: those frameworks were mostly built by
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The 50/30/20 Rule Does Not Work for Families. Here Is What We Use Instead.
The popular budget framework assumes a certain life. Families are living a different one. The FIRE community has no shortage of frameworks. The 50/30/20 rule. The 4% rule. The bucket strategy. Someone’s cousin did it this way. Someone’s podcast recommends that one. Here’s the thing nobody talks about enough: those frameworks were mostly built by
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5% Savings Rates Changed the Emergency Fund Math Forever
High-yield savings rates around 5% changed how we think about the emergency fund. Here is why this boring move matters for families chasing FIRE.
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The Paycheck-to-Paycheck Reset: A Simple First-Week Budget Plan
If your family is living paycheck to paycheck, you do not need a perfect budget. You need traction. Here is a simple first-week reset that helps create breathing room fast.
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25 Savings Hacks That Actually Move the Needle for Families
25 Hidden Savings Hacks That Actually Move the Needle Most families do not need a total financial overhaul. They need a few smart changes that actually stick. That is the part a lot of saving advice misses. It throws out big ideas, dramatic challenges, and extreme frugality experiments, when what really helps is a set
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The Most Unsexy Side Hustle Paying $6K a Month (And How It Works)
Making big lifestyle changes with a family in the mix takes a different kind of math. Side income fits differently depending on which phase of FIRE you are in. The Numbers Behind the Side Hustle Want more real-talk FIRE strategies for families? Get the Family FIRE Letter — monthly real numbers from our family to
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Pay Off Your 3.1% Mortgage or Invest? The Real Answer for Families
Market drops do not change our long-term math, but they do change the feeling. Before you decide to invest or pay off debt, make sure you have looked at where the leaks actually are. The Math: Mortgage Payoff vs. Investing Want more real-talk FIRE strategies for families? Get the Family FIRE Letter — monthly real
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Geographic Arbitrage for Families: The Math Gets Better When You Stop Trying to Win in the Most Expensive Zip Code
A grounded look at how families can use geographic arbitrage to improve their savings rate without chasing fantasy or blowing up their life.
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Our Real Vehicle History on FIRE: What Actually Happened
When people talk about financial independence, they usually talk about investing, income, or cutting monthly expenses. That makes sense. Those things matter. But vehicles can quietly wreck a family’s finances too. The purchase price is only the start. Insurance, repairs, maintenance, and the urge to keep upgrading all add up fast. Looking back, our vehicle